ARCHAIC PERIOD FAUNAL USE IN THE WEST-CENTRAL FLORIDA INTERIOR

Archaic period research in Florida has emphasized the importance of aquatic resources (both marine and freshwater) as a crucial factor in the development of greater cultural complexity, regionalization, and the establishment of permanent settlements. These interpretations are based on data primarily...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSoutheastern archaeology Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 148 - 164
Main Authors Austin, Robert J., Carlson, Lisabeth, Estabrook, Richard W.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Southeastern Archaeological Conference 01.12.2009
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Archaeological sites
Archaic period
Biomass
Bones
Coasts
Deer
Drought
Enclaves
Fresh water
Highlands
Mammals
Reptiles & amphibians
Turtles
Wetlands
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Summary:Archaic period research in Florida has emphasized the importance of aquatic resources (both marine and freshwater) as a crucial factor in the development of greater cultural complexity, regionalization, and the establishment of permanent settlements. These interpretations are based on data primarily from coastal and lacustrine settings where aquatic invertebrates are especially abundant. Two recently investigated sites in west-central Florida-West Williams (8HI509) and Enclave C (8PA1269)-have produced well-preserved faunal samples from Late Archaic (5000–4000 B.P.) contexts at interior upland locales. Although associated with expansive freshwater marsh and swamp environments, these samples are distinguished from other reported Archaic period sites by the presence of a significant terrestrial component. These data have caused us to rethink current models of Archaic subsistence and settlement. Specifically, we argue that subsistence and settlement strategies were regionally diverse and temporally flexible in order to contend with variable local conditions. Within west-central Florida's interior, a broad-spectrum foraging strategy appears to have been practiced after about 5000 B.P.
ISSN:0734-578X
2168-4723